Tuscaloosa, Ala. – The No. 12 Nebraska women’s basketball team got a school-record-tying seven three-pointers from Tear’a Laudermill, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Alabama from beating the Big Red, 53-51, on a last-second putback at Foster Auditorium on Sunday.
Nikki Hegstetter’s putback with 2.5 seconds left allowed Alabama to improve to 8-3 on the season, while the Huskers slipped to 7-1 on the year.
Laudermill hit six of her career-high-tying seven threes in the second half to help Nebraska overcome a five-point halftime deficit. Her final three came from well beyond the top of the key with 18.1 seconds left to tie the game at 51. Laudermill’s shot allowed Nebraska to overcome a 50-42 deficit with four minutes left.
The senior from Moreno Valley, Calif., finished with a game and season-high 25 points to go along with six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Laudermill hit 9-of-20 shots from the floor, including 7-of-15 threes. While Laudermill went 7-of-14 in the second half, including 6-of-11 from long range, the rest of the Huskers went just 3-of-15 in the half.
Laudermill was the only Husker to reach double figures, as Rachel Theriot settled for nine points, four rebounds and three assists. It was the first time this season that Theriot did not score in double figures.
Brandi Jeffery added eight points and seven rebounds, scoring all eight of her points in the first half. Emily Cady managed just five points on 2-of-11 shooting, while grabbing nine rebounds. Hailie Sample contributed four points and seven rebounds.
The Huskers turned the ball over 21 times and were outrebounded, 46-36, for the game. NU hit just 35.7 percent (20-56) of its shots, but thanks to Laudermill hot shooting went 8-for-20 (40 percent) from long range as a team. NU attempted a season-low six free throws and hit just three, as Alabama was whistled for just 10 fouls in the game. Nebraska was whistled for 20, as Alabama outscored NU, 11-3 at the stripe.
Karyla Middlebrook was the only member of the Crimson Tide to put up double figures with 14 points, while Meoshonti Knight scored nine big points off the bench. Briana Hutchen added eight points and seven rebounds, while Hegstetter and Ashley Williams both pitched in seven points and combined for 17 rebounds. Hannah Cook managed just three points on a near-halfcourt three at halftime, but did pull down a game-high 10 rebounds.
Alabama hit just 18-of-59 shots (30.5 percent), including 6-of-18 threes.
Nebraska led 23-22 after a Sample layup with 53 seconds left in the first half, but back-to-back three-pointers by Hegstetter and Cook to close the half, including Cook’s 30 footer at the buzzer sent the Crimson Tide to the locker room with a 28-23 lead.
The Huskers struggled offensively in the first half, hitting just 10-of-26 shots, including 2-of-8 threes. NU was also just 1-for-4 at the free throw line. The Big Red was outrebounded, 23-18, and lost the first-half turnover battle, 11-10.
Jeffery kept the Huskers close in the first half, finishing with eight points and six rebounds, while Laudermill and Theriot each contributed five points in the opening period.
Alabama hit just 9-of-31 first-half shots, but connected on 4-of-11 threes, including a 30-footer at the buzzer and a long bank from the left wing earlier in the half. The Tide also hit 6-of-7 free throws.
The Huskers return to road action on Thursday night when the they travel to Omaha to take on Creighton. Tip-off between the Big Red and the Bluejays is set for 8 p.m. with live national television coverage by Fox Sports 1.
The 14th-seeded Nebraska volleyball team will face No. 3 seed Washington on Friday at 8:30 p.m. (CT) in the Seattle Regional at Alaska Airlines Arena.
